Business break for Seven Hills students

Seven Hills High students planned and ran their own business through a program that has lost federal funding.

Young at work: Seven Hills High School year 9 student Tom Morgan runs a car wash as part of BREED's Young Entrepreneurs program. Picture: Gene Ramirez

Seven Hills High School students made the most of an opportunity to plan and run their own business before the organisation that offers it is washed up.

A team of six year 9 students ran a final car wash at the Nirimba Precinct in Quakers Hill on Wednesday as part of Partnership Brokers' six-week Young Entrepreneurs program.

The organisation which links schools and industry to give young people employment skills nationally will close in December after the federal government cut all of its funding.

It is administered in Blacktown by BREED Education, Employment and Economic Development.

Seven Hills High School careers adviser Tonnie Slater said the closure was a "massive blow" to moving students from school to work.

"More responsibility will come back to the school and to parents who aren't as well equipped for that," she said.

"The horizons are just changing constantly. As careers advisers there are so many new employment prospects out there that we're learning about to be able to communicate to students. Parents don't have that bank of knowledge."

Miss Slater said the students gained valuable employability skills through their car wash venture such as organising, teamwork, financial management and communication through writing a business plan and other activities.

BREED partnership broker Chris Taylor said the students were advised by a mentor in business for two weeks and met the first woman in Australia to own a Holden dealership for inspiration.

"They could see that she did start with nothing and achieved all of these things in her life," she said.

"We've also had Fair Trading come out and give them talks about business and customer service, and responsibilities and rights."

Tom Morgan, 14, who was among the group that offered a car wash service for $15 or $20, said: "It was a good experience for if I wanted to start my own business when I'm older."